Volunteer Lawyers Projects

Attorneys throughout the state help provide equal access to justice through the Iowa Legal Aid Volunteer Lawyers Project, the Polk County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project and the Pro Bono Project of HELP Legal Assistance and the Scott and Clinton County Bar Associations. These projects involve approximately 3,400 volunteer attorneys serving an average of 2,000 low-income Iowans each year. The value of pro bono services from the private bar averages over $2 million each year.

Opportunities to participate in volunteer lawyers projects around the state include:

Accepting referrals on behalf of eligible clients (always with the prior approval of the attorney)

Assisting with intake at Iowa Legal Aid offices

Taking part in Continuing Legal Education Seminars on poverty law issues

Contributing materials to probono.net/iowa

Assisting pro bono clients at advice clinics and pro bono mediations

Handling contested domestic abuse cases filed under Chapter 236

To start helping low-income Iowans today, please fill out the registration form at Probono.net/iowa. This is a free website for attorneys and is maintained by Iowa Legal Aid. Attorneys who join and become members of the Civil Law Practice Area can access a wide range of resources on poverty law issues.

Please note that all positions may not be available at all times or locations nearest you. For example, a particular position may have been filled or we may have limited capacity to engage volunteers with certain types of skills. Even though we cannot guarantee a placement to every prospective volunteer, we will do our best to match the applicants’ skills and interests with our present needs.